The Little Messenger
by St. Harridan
Summary: Sometimes Yachiru delivers letters to Ken-chan from Ukki.


Sometimes Yachiru would poke her head into the Ugendo in the evenings when Ken-chan is busy taking a much-needed shower. Often she would see her Ukki there in the garden, tending to his bonsai.

He likes to hum to himself, and the melody would carry on the wind to reach her sensitive ears. She's fond of hearing him hum, so she sits cross-legged by the entrance and watches as he oh so carefully snips at the little trees. She calls them "baby trees" because that's exactly what they look like.

When he finally stops and straightens up, thumping his back with a fist to ease the apparent ache, she calls out to him in a voice as cheery as the early morning bird.

"Are you done with your baby trees, Ukki? Can I come in?" Before he can even greet her, she invites herself in, skipping up to him with a wide beam plastered to her face.

"How are you doing this evening, Yachiru?" That's the first thing he asks, followed by a, "How about Zaraki? Have the both of you had dinner yet?"

"Nope, not yet. Ken-chan says it's too early. He says that we have to wait till he's done showerin' before we can start eatin'. It's okay though. I'm not hungry."

"Are you sure?" Ukki rummages around in the wide sleeve of his shihakusho, making a show of concentration, and produces a small pouch of konpeito candy. Yachiru leaps up and immediately snatches it from his hand, glee eating at the sides of her heart. "Don't tell Zaraki that I gave you candy, okay?"

Yachiru doesn't know why Ukki wants to keep such a kind act a secret, especially from Ken-chan. Ken-chan likes it whenever Yachiru lends a helping hand to the poor and needy who sit by the sides of the streets in the Rukon. Whenever they take a trip to the upper districts of the Rukon, she always finds some time to assist them in whatever way possible. Sometimes, she also shares some candy with them. Ken-chan would always be there behind her, watching in silence, and when she returns to him with a satisfaction that seems to fill her to the brim, he gives her a proud grin and ruffles her hair.

Doesn't Ukki want that too?

Yachiru keeps wondering to herself as she watches Ukki search around in his sleeve again until he comes up with a small square-shaped piece of paper. She tilts her head to the side, blinking up at him in question even though she knows roughly what it is that he wants her to do.

"See to it that this reaches your Ken-chan safely by night," says Ukki, handing the red letter to her with a hopeful smile. He doesn't give anything away though, as he doesn't mention anything else after that.

Yachiru always does this sort of thing for Ukki. She looks forward to seeing him in the evenings when he's done with work and Ken-chan's in the shower. He has candy with him whenever she drops in, and a simple task of delivering a letter to Ken-chan is just way too easy. She's one to take advantage of whatever situation that's in her favour, and so, by hook or by crook unless Ken-chan stops her, she never fails to show up at the Ugendo every day.

It's not often that she gets to deliver letters though, but during those days, she gets treated to extra candy. She keeps hoping for Ukki to have her send letters, but he maintains his discreet frequency.

She skips through the Seireitei, happily munching on the konpeito candy. When she returns to her division, she makes sure to tie the pouch up and hide it in the sleeve of her shihakusho. Ken-chan may know where she's been, but he wouldn't know what she got in return for the letter.

Ken-chan is often lying on his bed wearing nothing but a hakama by the time she comes back. She jumps onto his stomach, but the surprise doesn't work now – he's far too accustomed to it to even be startled. He sits up and she hands him the letter. She's not allowed to read it, but by the slight raise of his hairless brows, the subtle widening of his eyes, and the quirking of the sides of his lips, she's sure that it's something good.

Another reason why she likes to be entrusted with the letters – Ken-chan always brightens up after seeing to each one.

Whenever the letter comes, Ken-chan would tell her to take her dinner with the rest of the division. He slips on his shihakusho and captain's haori and, before he rushes out the door, checks his hair one last time.

At dinner, Yachiru wolfs down Ikkaku's share of food in the blink of an eye. Ikkaku's protests and complaints fall upon deaf ears, as Yachiru is thinking of Ken-chan and what he's doing. She hopes he's having fun. Wherever he is.


End file.
